Protector for oil cocks



R. O. FERGUSON PROTECTOR FOR OIL COCKS- March 18, 1924.-

Filed Nov. '2o.' 1922- Patented Mar. i8, 1924.

ROBERT FERGUSON, 0F BRISTOL, TENNESSEE.

PROTECTOR FOR OIL COCKS.

Application led November 20, 1922. Serial No. 602,198.

To @ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT O. FERGUSON, a citizen of the United States of America,

residing at Bristol, in the county of SullivanY and State of Tennessee, have invented a certain new and useful Protector forOil Cocks, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to attachments to automobiles, and more particularly to means for protecting and locking the operating means for the pet cocks which are ordinarily attached to the crank case of Ford automobiles.

An important feature of the invention comprises means for enclosing and holding against accidental movement the extreme vends of the rods which are attached tothe vpet cocks, and whereby said pet cocks are operated.

In the preferred formof the invention, this means is exemplifiedby a cover which is hinged to the fender plate extending from the running board f of the machine, and encloses the outer 'ends of the `operating rods and holds said rods in the position which they assume when the pet cocks are closed. Such device, accordingly, prevents Y any accidental opening of the-'pet cocks as the-result of the vibrations of the car.-

Another feature of the-invention is comprised in a fibre, or other equivalent form of washer, which is secured to the face of theV splash plate over the openings through which the pet cock operating vrods extend,

- said washer being provided with openings to receive the rods. The washer not only acts as a very efficient bearing for the rods, but obviates rattles and squeaks which would otherwise occur, due to the vibrations o the car. A

The above and .other important features i of the4 invention, including details ofconstruction and combinations of parts will be more clearly apparent from the following description in connection with the accompanying drawings which illustrate certain forms of the invention.

In'the drawings: Fig. l is a view illustrating a part of a Ford crank case with the invention applied;

Fig. 2 isa sectional view on the line 2-2, Fig. 2;

Fig. 3 illustrates a modification of the invention; and

Fig. 4 is a sectional View on the line 4-4, Fig. 3.

The numeral l indicates the crank case i of the engine of a Ford car having at the front end thereof two petfcocks 3, 4, which are located at dierent elevations and are used for determining the amount of oil in the crank case, as is well known. Heretofore, these pet cocks have been frequently operated by reachingV under the fender Vof the car and manipulating the handles 5, 6, thereof. This `operation was attended by considerable inconvenience and annoyance and resulted in vthepperator soiling his.

hands and clothes so that he would' frequently` neglect to performthis necessaryV operation with the result that the bearings wouldfbe burnt out. p y

In order to overcome the above objection, it has been proposed to provide extension rods which are secured tothe handles of the pet cocks, and extend outwardly through t operation.y

charged therefrom, and the bearings of the machine would become-burnt out.

.Connected with 'each of the handles, 5,y

G, of the pet cocks by la loose pivot connec-tion, as 10, is an extension rod 12, having at its outer extremity a bent portionl or handle 14. The fender plate or splash board from theusual running board 9, is provided with two fairl `good sized openings 13, 1 3.

-S of the machine which extends upwardly r through which extend the rods l2, `l2, and

on the inside of the plate l8 is fastened by bolts l5, or other suitable means, a washer 16 preferably composed of wood fibre, or equivalent material. The fibre washer l6-is perforated at I7 to provide for the passage of the rods 12, it beingv noted that the perforations 17 are just sutticiently large to permit the rod to pass through easily, while the openings 13 which overlie the openings 17 are considerably larger than the latter.

A cover 18, which is formed Vwith two parallel side 18a, 18, encloses a Vspace which is slightly wider than the thickness of the bent ends 141 of the extension rods, said cover beingconnect-ed by a. hinge 19 to the tender plate 8. The cover is preferably slightly iiared at its base portion, as indicated by the numeral20, and lits snugly against the outer curved surface of the fender plate,` The outer forward portion ot the cover 18 is preferably provided with a slightly upturned 'projection 21, and a catch 22, which is connected by a spiral spring- 23 with the tender plate,*is adapted to be sprung over the projection 2l to yieldingly maintain the cover in closed positioiiover the bent ends or handle portions 14 et the extension rods 12. By this construction, it will be seen that vthe cover,

when in closed position, will firmly and re-A liably maintain the pet cocks closed, tor it is onlyv when the cover is in this position that the't-wo bent ends 141 of the extension rods are arranged in vertical alignment, which is the position that said ends occupy, when the pet cocks are closed. When the cover is placed over the handles of the extension rods, it will be impossible for the rods to be turned so as to open either et the pet cocks, and Vsaid rods are accordingly locked and are maintained against" accidental opening, due to the vibrations of the car, or any other cause.'

twill also be seen that it either ot the bent ends 14C is turned 'to open a pet cock the cover 18 cannot be closed, which ensures the closing of both pet cocks, before the cover can be closed, as when the cover is resting on one of the bent ends it will indicate that a pet cock has been lett open. This is an important feature of the invention.

vThe fibre washer 16 not only acts as a packing' tor the' extension rods, but serves to eliminate all noises due to the scraping` of the rods against theedgres ott the openings 13. which would otherwise occur.

In addition to the foregoing advantages of thev construction described, it will be noted that the handles 14k extend a slight distance out yfardly beyond the :tender plate, thus providing sulticient clearance to permit relative movementot the plate and crank case, due to the'movement 'oit said plate relative to the crank case when persons stepon and off of the ruimingboards,

and V'also result-ingfrom the ordinary vibra? tions ot the car when in motion. The yieldinglconnection between' the cover and the fender plate due tof the spring; catch 22 also permits considerable lost `moti`o`n"loetween these parts without throwingunnecessary strain upon any ot them.

ln the construction shown in Figs. 3 and a, a slight departure is made from that. illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, and at the same time the principle ot the invention is preserved. Under this modification a large opening` 24- which is preferably rectangular in shape,vis made in the 'tender plate, and within this opening two inwardly extending- Astrips ot metal 25, extend, formingY a depression, the bottoni ot which is formed by a brevwasher`2', having openings 2S, through which the extension rods 12 pass. The outwardly bent ends 14C of these rods are housed inthe depression or spa-ce formed bythe parts 25,` 27, and a hinged lid 28 covers the depression. rEheV vlid 28 is provided with two inwardly extending side members 29, which enclose the bent 'ends 14 of the extension rods and act-preciselythe same in their locking `reffect uponfthe pet cocks as the'cover 18, in they form shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The right `is reserved to make any changes in the details of construction, or i-n theV relative arrangement of the parts described which tall within the spirit of the invention, provided -suchchanges are compre' hended by "the Iterms of the 'following claims.

Having` thus described invention, what I claim las new and desire l,to secure by U. S. Letters Patentris;

1. In a` deviceof the classy described, the combination of a pet cock, a rod connected to said cock, and 'arranged to `rextend through an opening in the tender plate,'said rod having means at its outer endt'or manipulation, and a cover enclosing said means and arranged to holdthe cock in lockedposition.' l

2. In a device'of the class described, the combination'ot a pet cock, a rod extending therefrom through an opening in the fender plate, and a @over hinged to saidplate and arranged to enclose and lock the'outer end ot said rod.

3. 1n a device ot the class described, the combination ot a pet cock,`a rod'extending therefrom and provided at its outer `eXtremity with a bent port-ion for manipulation, a fender' plate providedv with an aperture through which said rod extends', and a locking device pivoted to said plate and constructed to enclose the' bent end of the rod and to hold it in position torv maintaining the pet'cock closed.:

4. l'n a deviceot theclassdescribed, the

combination-with a crank case, 4petcocks bent 'outer ends, anda locking coverfpivoted to said" plate, and "constructed" and"`ar ranged to enclose the bent ends, and to maintain them in alignment so as to hold the pet cocks closed.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination With a fender plate provided with an aperture, a pet cock having a rod extending through said aperture, a ibre Washer placed over the aperture and having an opening registering With the opening in said plate, said rod extending through said apertures, and a locking cover hinged to said plate and arranged to enclose and lock the outer end of said rod.

6. In a device of the class described, the

combination with a pet cock, of a ilenderv plate provided With an aperture, a rod eX- tending from said cock and passing through said aperture, said rod having its outer explate and arranged to enclose the bent end of the rod and hold the same in position to maintain the pet cock closed.

7. In a device of the class described, the combination With a pet cock, of a fender plate provided with an aperture, a rod extending from said cock through said aperture and having a bent end at its extremity, a locking cover for the bent end of the rod hinged to said plate and a yielding catch for securing said cover in closed position.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 18th day of November A. D. 1922.

ROBERT O. FERGUSON. 

